Rasmus Dahlin’s Open Letter to Buffalo

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

he needs to do his homework on trades and acquisitions.  

I have no specific information, but I can assure you he does.

[Doohicksie]

7 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

In what world is Dahlin a ginger? He's a blonde swede. Unless you're talking about Eakin?

Eakin was more the voice in the wilderness.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Give him the C.

Also the Sabres are 4-1 at home with a sold out arena.

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Give him the C.

Also the Sabres are 4-1 at home with a sold out arena.

I am going to the Calgary game.  Another matinee.   Hope it is packed to the max.  

[Buffalonill]

I want the 2 captains like drury / Briere

Make it  Tuch/ Dahlin 

[Getpucksdeep]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I am going to the Calgary game.  Another matinee.   Hope it is packed to the max.  

Unfortunately there are a ton of tickets available for Weds right now.  Guessing the less enthusiastic fans don't know the Canes are good and all-star break/no games for 10 days.

It's not part of my half sadly.  

[Scottysabres]

Nice read.

Glad Dahlin addressed the fans.

To bad an overwhelming number of the fans are being priced out of being there.

[Derrico]

8 year extension incoming?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Interesting list of guys he mentioned.

Quote

Tommer, Mittsy, Cozey, Joki, Sammy, Brys, Aspy, Vic - so many of us have grown up here. 

I do wonder of how many of those guys will be here in a few years. Sammy, Cozey, Tommer and Dahls are core players, but what about the rest?

Also was this letter a subtle plea by Dahlin for management to make a move or two to help the team make the playoff?

Edited January 31, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

For all of the Tuch or Cozens for captain talk, all I can say is it will be Rasmus Dahlin when everything is said and done. 

Here's 2 minutes of Dahlin shooting. He's a wizard and Ralph Krueger is Voldemort. 

 

[Taro T]

44 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I am going to the Calgary game.  Another matinee.   Hope it is packed to the max.  

Had planned on going to that one.  Turns out the tix were still up on Ticket Master & guess we're not going.  Sold Saturday.  Ooops.  Will be there tomorrow though.

You should see a good one.  Really wanted to go to it.

[pi2000]

Sounds great, but I (for one) don't need to hear it.... I need to see it.

Do better.   Make the playoffs.

[LGR4GM]

16 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Sounds great, but I (for one) don't need to hear it.... I need to see it.

Do better.   Make the playoffs.

He's 2nd in the entire league for defensemen points. He's played 3 and 4 games less than the guy in front and the guy behind him. 

[IKnowPhysics]

32 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

For all of the Tuch or Cozens for captain talk, all I can say is it will be Rasmus Dahlin when everything is said and done. 

Here's 2 minutes of Dahlin shooting. He's a wizard and Ralph Krueger is Voldemort. 

 

 

When fans, scouts, etc talk a lot about how good a player is, often times things like puck handling and speed come up.  But there's two foundational elements here that are combining being used at an elite level to unlock a special ability to make moves like this.

1. Dahlin's puck handling ability without looking at the puck is incredible.  He maintains total control of the puck through these plays.
2. Dahlin's edge work is world-class.  His ability to accelerate, change direction, generate speed while pivoting is exceptionally good.

The special ability unlocked is that he gets to read the opponents' hips.  Watch each of those plays.  Every defender that comes his way to challenge his possession, he reads the direction their hips are pointed, and he goes the opposite way.  If he couldn't hold on to the puck like that (or couldn't do it without looking at the puck), he wouldn't have the vision required to read opponents' skating like that.  If his edges didn't give him the ability to out-maneuver the opponent, he wouldn't be able to achieve the open lanes.

It's such a simple thing: opponent is going one way, so I'll go the other.  It even looks easy.  But the skill required to enable that and have it be effective against top NHL opponents is what makes it wizardry.

Edited January 31, 2023 by IKnowPhysics

[#freejame]

Maybe I'm just a cynic but I feel like there's a pretty big chance our PR team played as much a role in this as Dahlin. 

[Pimlach]

37 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Interesting list of guys he mentioned.

I do wonder of how many of those guys will be here in a few years. Sammy, Cozey, Tommer and Dahls are core players, but what about the rest?

Also was this letter a subtle plea by Dahlin for management to make a move or two to help the team make the playoff?

 

I don't think it is a plea to management, he can talk to Adams any time, I think he could be rallying the fan base to fill the rink.  

[LGR4GM]

44 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Also was this letter a subtle plea by Dahlin for management to make a move or two to help the team make the playoff?

Lol, he can literally text Kevyn Adams but instead decided to write a letter to the fans to subtlety tell him to make moves? Come on now, this is how conspiracy theories are born. 

[IKnowPhysics]

I believe this:

6 minutes ago, #freejame said:

chance our PR team played as much a role in this as Dahlin. 

More than this:

 

47 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

a subtle plea by Dahlin for management to make a move or two to help the team make the playoff?

Full tin foil hat:  At most this was the team asking Dahlin to write a letter about all sorts of things and to plug attendance along the way.

But players do notice attendance.  They feel the energy when the building's rocking.  They're playing good hockey, and they're ready for the fans to buy in.

Edited January 31, 2023 by IKnowPhysics

[Nitro60]

3 hours ago, bunomatic said:

Won’t open for me. Coles notes ?

Dear Buffalo,

 

I am going to tell you a bit about our group. But first, I want to talk about Ryan Miller.

 

I knew about him before this month, of course. I knew he was loved here in Buffalo, so much so that the team was retiring his number. We were even able to meet him when we were in Vancouver earlier this season. You could tell then that he was a good person.

 

I thought I understood his place here. But I didn't really - not until two weeks ago.

 

The connection he shares with the people in this city is something you have to feel to understand. We were all in awe watching his ceremony from the bench, seeing the mutual love shared between him and the crowd. It was RJ Night all over again.

 

Now when I see Ryan Miller, I am star-struck.

 

We spent time after the game talking to Ryan and the other alumni who were there that night. They spoke about how it felt like there was nothing separating the ice from the stands during their playoff runs. The players and the fans were one, all working toward the same goal.

 

I speak for myself and my teammates when I say this: Buffalo, we are starting to feel it.

 

It's hard to describe what it feels like when KeyBank Center is full. I get chills thinking about the roar of the crowd every time we have a scoring chance. Or a big hit. Or a successful penalty kill. Honestly, the whole night feels like a power play.

 

It's like we are 19,090 strong - 20 of us in uniform, the rest of us in the stands. Together we are going to break the other team mentally. That's what it feels like.

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Maybe I'm just a cynic but I feel like there's a pretty big chance our PR team played as much a role in this as Dahlin. 

This doesn’t mean it wasn’t sincere from Ras, but they pretty clearly had a role.

Okie, Mule, Donnie and Cozens were all asked questions about fan support during yesterday’s practice. The clips were spliced together for an item on their website yesterday and this pops today.

All this just after great road trip, the Bills are out, and ticket sales are meh for the league’s #2 team coming on.

Its definitely been a more sophisticated approach this year from what we’ve seen in the past, but just because it’s based on things that are “real” doesn’t mean it’s not also marketing.

They are trying to build a buzz that they can ride until the end of the season with a big win before a packed house over a good team. Especially if they follow that up with Tage doing something to get them talking at the all-star game.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with this. I hope it works.

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Lol, he can literally text Kevyn Adams but instead decided to write a letter to the fans to subtlety tell him to make moves? Come on now, this is how conspiracy theories are born. 

In the older days, like the Imlach and Bowman era, there were probably not too many players that could openly talk to and probe the Coach and GM.  Maybe Tim Horton to Punch, or Gil to Scotty, but open communication within the right protocol is common today.   

The last interview that I heard with Adams, he said he learns a lot about the team by talking directly to Kyle.   Dahlin has a letter and he is in line for the C.  He can probably have that conversation in the right forum, and in the right way, and not have any problems.  Adams is new school.  

 

[bg17]

44 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Sounds great, but I (for one) don't need to hear it.... I need to see it.

Do better.   Make the playoffs.

You said the same about hiring Granato.
 

Catch phrases are annoying. 

[Norcal]

Lovely letter from a lovely young man with great hair.

Makes me wonder what adding or subtracting from the room would do to the boys as @Pimlachsaid above. 

Wonder what the next step in Adams plan is regarding the playoff push and the resources, if any, he thinks the team  needs to make it there and beyond. 

1 hour ago, pi2000 said:

Sounds great, but I (for one) don't need to hear it.... I need to see it.

Do better.   Make the playoffs.

This is your standard pat answer at this point huh?

[PerreaultForever]

It doesn't matter, but I don't think he actually wrote that. The english is too fluid and smooth but again, it doesn't matter. It's a nice letter.

I wonder if this is a prelude to him being signed to a long term extension and then being named captain next season. 

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

It doesn't matter, but I don't think he actually wrote that. The english is too fluid and smooth but again, it doesn't matter. It's a nice letter.

I wonder if this is a prelude to him being signed to a long term extension and then being named captain next season. 

He probably wrote the general sentiments but somebody then edited it for him.  Just like every other memo / letter that comes from the corporate world.

Doubt writing the letter was his idea, but expect he was a willing writer & the sentiments are genuine.

And doubt the person or people that pushed for this were thrilled w/ seeing Asplund & Bryson included among those that have been here through a lot of trials & tribulations.

It was a nice letter.  Hopefully it worked as intended.